Big Wave Cafe to host benefit dinners

MANZANITA — Following the success of last year’s dinner that raised several thousand dollars for a local handicapped access ramp, Brian and Carol Williams plan to use their Big Wave Café, 822 Laneda Ave. in Manzanita, to drum up more support for the Pine Grove Community House, the Rinehart Clinic and the Manzanita Business Alliance.

The first fundraiser, scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, is an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner that will benefit the Pine Grove Community House. The cost is $10 per plate. Those who attend are invited to bring a dessert to share.

Last year, the Williams hosted a benefit for the local nonprofit organization, raising $2,400 toward the $15,000 needed to build a new handicapped access ramp at the downtown Manzanita venue.

At 6 p.m. Feb. 4, the Big Wave Café will host a low-cholesterol, low-sodium, low-fat meal in conjunction with American Heart Month, with proceeds benefitting the Rinehart Clinic in Wheeler. Tickets will cost $20 each, and will be good for a complete heart-healthy, multi-course served dinner with pre-dinner heart-healthy appetizers and post-dinner heart-healthy desserts.

Tickets will be available at Manzanita Lumber and the Rinehart Clinic. There will be 70 tickets available for one seating.

“Brian and his family at the Big Wave exemplify the community spirit which makes the area so special in supporting the time-honored medical care provided to North County for the past 100 years,” said clinic CEO Ellen Boggs.

The Williams will round out their series of fundraising events with the Manzanita Business Alliance March Open House, at a future date.

The Williams moved to North Tillamook County from Chicago to purchase the Big Wave Café in September 2011. Brian Williams left his job as senior vice president at Career Education Corp. for Le Cordon Bleu to return to Oregon, where the couple grew up. Carol Williams, who makes desserts, is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Portland and studied with French chef Pascal Tisseur at Petite Provence, a bakery in Portland.

We had never been before and checked reviews. They seemed good so we stopped in for Sunday lunch. Very cool place. Very clean and a great vibe. Super friendly staff. My order was messed up but they were more than accommodating to fix and quick! Good clam chowder and crab cakes! Would definitely come back and recommend.

The service is excellent! Our server Sam was attentive and very good at his job , and the food is amazing! The Wagu tip steak was one of the best I’ve had! The atmosphere is great too! I would highly recommend this place!!

I visited here recently for the first time. Part of our order was wrong but I'm sure it's just because they were very busy. We didn't want to bother with changing it. I had the halibut fish and chips. It was very good. I was at first very disappointed to see the fish was salted but it was a very small amount that wasn't overpowering. The two people we encountered working were extremely friendly and made it a pleasant experience.

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Our Philosophy

The food at the Big Wave Café is fresh, simple and prepared with respect. For me, food is about family, feelings and emotions, and so is the Big Wave Café. That is why it is just not a restaurant. The Big Wave isn’t a place to get away; it is a place to get together.”